Amazon RDS vs PlanetScale comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and PlanetScale are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.3, while PlanetScale is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.2. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 1.2% mindshare in SQL, compared to PlanetScale’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of PlanetScale users who would recommend it.

Amazon RDS

Read 58 Amazon RDS reviews

5,356 Views
1,178 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

PlanetScale

Read 6 PlanetScale reviews

814 Views
806 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Amazon RDS

PlanetScale

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Amazon RDS and PlanetScale based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Relational Databases Tools solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale

April 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 894,738 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Amazon RDS

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Database as a Service (DBaaS) (2nd)

PlanetScale

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

17th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of Amazon RDS is 1.2%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PlanetScale is 1.1%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Amazon RDS	1.2%
PlanetScale	1.1%
Other	97.7%

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

Baqir Sajjad

AWS Architect at Virtual University

Customer support and automated backups offer reliability while ease of deployment enhances user experience

The features of Amazon RDS that I have found most valuable include web and mobile applications, enterprise applications, data warehousing and analytics, and software as a service platforms, along with dev testing environments, disaster recoveries, and backups. The mobile app backend and development environment is also the best feature for database management for my customers. Database management is effective in Amazon RDS because it offers automated backups, high availability, read replicas, and support from multiple database engineers, while also providing security, monitoring and metrics, scalability. We are using snapshots and database migrations as well as performance optimization. The impact of Amazon RDS scalability and backup has been positive, with good vertical scaling, scale up and down, horizontal scaling, and storage scaling. The performance was good and availability helped with reducing downtime.

Read full review

Neeraj Sameer Allu

Founder at Tuft

Manages databases in serverless environments and easy to get started with

The main thing I didn't like about PlanetScale was that we couldn't run analytical queries on it. They bill based on the number of rows read, so even a simple count query could easily use up our allocated resources. Apart from that, I actually loved it. It's based on MySQL, so it doesn't have foreign key constraints or cascades. We have to delete manually or use an ORM. As it's based on MySQL, we can use log posters for complex queries, but it only supports MySQL. I feel like Postgres is more useful for custom or complex queries.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Amazon RDS is lightweight and flexible."

"The product is very, very easy to use."

"One of the most valuable features is that it is serverless, so we don't have to worry about scaling."

"Amazon RDS fulfills PCI requirements, which is a valuable feature for us."

"Amazon RDS is easy to manage, and it has customizable performance, high availability, and duality."

"The IT is easy to set up, which is the best."

"The product's initial setup phase is totally easy."

"I recommend RDS because it makes your life super easy."

More Amazon RDS pros

"The branching feature is also good for developer experience."

"The solution is beginner-friendly. Like any new platform, it can be a bit confusing at first. But after spending about an hour with it, you can get a clear idea of what everything is for. It's not very confusing; I think they've improved it recently."

"One feature I appreciate about PlanetScale is its ability to handle migrations and commands without the need to run them manually in the database."

"I did not face any downtime when using the product."

"I recommend using PlanetScale as it provides ease of access and control over database changes using commands from the local terminal."

"I like the solution's developer experience. When you deploy changes to the database in the portal, you can use different deployment strategies and see how things work. You can put changes into different branches, like deployment and staging. This is built into the product, allowing you to navigate changes through different branches."

"The database is accessible 24/7, ensuring my project runs smoothly without interruptions."

Cons

"The product should support new databases."

"RDS doesn't have shell access."

"The running cost could be improved."

"With my limited experience, I have noticed that documentation management could be improved. It could be better."

"The solution's version upgrade and performance could be improved."

"The security features could be improved."

"The backup and restore processes take more time compared to other providers. For instance, if DigitalOcean takes two minutes to restore or create a backup, AWS will take 2 to 3 minutes."

"Migration to RDS using the default tools is very complicated."

More Amazon RDS cons

"I am not sure, but I think recently, the tool removed the free version."

"The main thing I didn't like about PlanetScale was that we couldn't run analytical queries on it."

"I used PlanetScale for hobby projects, so my perspective differs from someone using it commercially. Unfortunately, they've removed the free tier in recent months and pivoted to a business-to-business model. This is sad for hobby developers like me because it's a great product, but I understand they have costs to cover."

"When I tried to integrate the solution with Firebase for authentication, I faced some interruptions. Also, when using it with Next.js and NextAuth.js for Google and social logins, I had some troubles."

"We encountered some initial issues during the product deployment, which required me to search for solutions on forums."

"I would like PlanetScale to have a feature where the database can be accessed in the cloud with a link, allowing for a more user-friendly interface compared to the terminal."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"if you don't know how to optimize and use your tool properly, the cost might hurt you."

"The cost is manageable because you can see the expense associated with each instance and utilize tools for tagging and cost control."

"It is less expensive than SQL Server. We pay based on the usage on a monthly basis."

"In my case, MySQL is free, and if there are any costs, then it is much less than other solutions since all such things usually come bundled with the hardware."

"The pricing of RDS is a little bit high compared to Microsoft... However, it is a good price compared to other solutions."

"AWS is becoming pretty expensive because cheap or absolutely free services have become paid services. Amazon RDS is not an expensive product, but Amazon's ecosystem is becoming increasingly expensive."

"Amazon RDS is cheaper compared to other tools."

"I would rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."

More Amazon RDS pricing and cost advice

"The solution is expensive for beginners. That's why I wasn't motivated to use it more. But they were already providing many features for free for beginners, which was great."

"Last time, when I wanted to use the tool in a project, I could see it was only paid, so I didn't use the service."

"I am currently using the product's free version, which has been sufficient for my portfolio project."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Relational Databases Tools solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

894,738 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

University

Manufacturing Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	22
Midsize Enterprise	16
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Amazon RDS?

The pricing for Amazon RDS is reasonable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Amazon RDS?

Currently, I cannot think of any major improvements. Perhaps more platforms in terms of database engine versions would be beneficial. Right now, Amazon RDS supports MySQL and PostgreSQL, but there ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Amazon RDS?

I am a Solutions Architect, so I design solutions for our clients. Prior to this role, I was an implementation engineer, so I also implement solutions for our customers.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PlanetScale?

I am currently using the product's free version, which has been sufficient for my portfolio project. The paid version ranges from $39 to $1,000, depending on the features and scale required.

See all answers

What needs improvement with PlanetScale?

I would like PlanetScale to have a feature where the database can be accessed in the cloud with a link, allowing for a more user-friendly interface compared to the terminal. This would make it easi...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for PlanetScale?

I have used PlanetScale as it is an advanced version of MySQL. It functions as a platform where MySQL is live, similar to AWS. I use PlanetScale to store data in a live environment where queries ca...

See all answers

Comparisons

MongoDB Atlas vs Amazon RDS

Compared 13% of the time

Google Cloud SQL vs Amazon RDS

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Amazon RDS

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle Database as a Service vs Amazon RDS

Compared 7% of the time

Yugabyte Cloud vs Amazon RDS

Compared 6% of the time

More Amazon RDS Competitors

Amazon Aurora Serverless vs PlanetScale

Compared 57% of the time

Citus Data vs PlanetScale

Compared 19% of the time

SQL Server vs PlanetScale

Compared 7% of the time

Google Cloud SQL vs PlanetScale

Compared 6% of the time

Amazon Aurora vs PlanetScale

Compared 6% of the time

More PlanetScale Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Amazon RDS

May 2026

Download Amazon RDS product report

Buyer's Guide

Relational Databases Tools

April 2026

Download PlanetScale product report

Also Known As

RDS

No data available

Overview

Amazon RDS offers scalability, high availability, and security. It supports multiple database engines and facilitates automated backups and data encryption, with a focus on user-friendly features.

Amazon RDS is a managed database service supporting engines like MySQL and PostgreSQL. It enhances resilience through Multi-AZ deployments and integrates with tools like CloudWatch for monitoring and cost management. Users appreciate its ease of use, performance insights, and the reduction in administrative tasks which enable them to concentrate on business objectives. However, some users find interface complexity and administrative privilege needs challenging, along with migration difficulties.

What are the key features of Amazon RDS?

Scalability: Supports storage and read replicas to handle growing data needs.
High Availability: Multi-AZ deployments ensure database resilience.
Security: Features such as data encryption and automated backups protect data.

What benefits should users expect?

Streamlined Administration: Reduces time spent on database management.
Improved Performance: Access to performance insights for optimization.
Cost Efficiency: Monitoring tools help manage and reduce costs.

In industries like web development, fintech, and e-commerce, Amazon RDS is utilized to optimize database handling, ensure high availability, and facilitate secure data transactions. Organizations often use AWS migration tools to transition from on-premises infrastructures to cloud environments, benefiting from managed services to focus on enhancement rather than maintenance.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

PlanetScale offers seamless database management for Postgres and MySQL with features tailored for modern development environments, enabling enhanced project operations through efficient integration and ease of use.

PlanetScale is designed to support modern developer workflows through features like PgBouncer connection pooling and constant availability, making it ideal for serverless applications. Its integration with tools like Cloudflare and DrizzleORM enhances the developer experience, allowing fast setup and effortless database interactions.

What are the most important features of PlanetScale?

PgBouncer connection pooling: Optimizes database connections for serverless environments.
Constant availability: Ensures uninterrupted operations and workflow efficiency.
Developer-friendly: Integrates seamlessly with Cloudflare hyperdrive and DrizzleORM for enhanced project management.
Quick setup: Simplifies setup processes in corporate environments, allowing immediate use.
Local NVMe storage: PlanetScale Metal lets your database run with locally attached NVMe storage, giving you faster reads and writes.
Database branching: Teams can set up independent branches for CICD tests and staging environments, simplifying the development process.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating PlanetScale?

Uninterrupted project operations: Facilitates constant availability for high-performance applications.
Enhanced developer experience: Offers intuitive integrations and project management capabilities.
Ease of integration: Works well with popular tools like Cloudflare hyperdrive and DrizzleORM for efficient workflows.

PlanetScale finds significant use in hosting databases for enterprise companies, other infrastructure providers, chat applications, and hobby projects. Its compatibility with DrizzleORM facilitates seamless MySQL and Postgres database management online. Users leverage its capabilities for OLTP workloads and manage data environments effectively.

PlanetScale

Sample Customers

Edmodo

Block, Intercom, Convex, MyFitnessPal

Buyer's Guide

Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale

April 2026

Free Report: Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale

Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

894,738 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Amazon RDS vs. PlanetScale report.

See our list of best Relational Databases Tools vendors.

We monitor all Relational Databases Tools reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.